Love In a Time of Haven
by Covingtontw
Summary: Nathan returns to Haven after a five year hiatus. Their is a new chief in town. Nathan has to make a choice to stay or leave. It comes down to letting go of his past and starting a new one someone he never would have expected.


Haven Fan Fiction

Disclaimer: I don't own anything; those rights belong to the creators.

Love in a Time of Haven

Nathan Wuornos was away from Haven for the last five years and he never thought that he would be riding into town again. He had said his goodbyes to the town that had take everything from him.

He'd spent most of his time running away or hiding either way he wanted to put Haven and her troubles far away from him. As he past the familiar welcome to Haven sign he saw that the population had not change much in fact it look like the number of persons living in Haven had decreased. That was Haven for you he thought.

He inhaled the sweet salty air and let the cool October breeze sweep through his hair. He did not hate Haven, he just hated that the town was cursed and that it took away his capability to feel anything.

He did not even know that he was trouble until one day Duke Crocker asked him to go fishing. He thought the other guy wanted to amend and probably start a friendship, but Duke Crocker only wanted Nathan to help him in his schemes. Nathan had just made detective on the Haven Police department and Duke thought that with a someone in law enforcement he could easily smuggled in black market goods. He even offered Nathan a thirty percent profit of the deal.

Nathan was outraged and insulted. He punched Duke and they started to tussle. It must have been fifteen minutes of them rolling around on the boat when Nathan realized that he could no longer feel Duke punches and he realized he was a mark man by no doubt the troubles. He'd left Duke boat in a rage and quickly checked himself into the hospital. The diagnosis was idiopathic neuropathy a first for Haven and probably in the medical journals. He knew better, because the term was a result of the troubles.

The chief could not console himself and wanted to throw Duke behind bars, but Nathan did not pressed charges. Instead he just accepted his fate and tried to adjust to his new gift. It change his life not able to feel when the water too hot, to take a shower, drinking his morning coffee or feeling the ground beneath his feet. Life as he know it changed.

With is trouble his other senses were heightened. He became sensitive to smells; he could even hear a bit better. He left out some of new awareness when explaining his trouble to anyone. Nathan became a better detective, he was always great at it but now his was better. The troubles were back and he was somehow thrown into helping the troubled folks in town. His empathy for them seemed to develop in each case he handled. Although he loved helping the troubled he did not like that the cost of caring so much for them had resulted in numerous deaths of regular folks in town. Then it happened he'd lost a little girl on case and that was his kryptonite. He could not deal with losing a kid on the job and he'd left Haven never to return.

He was a hard man to pin down, but somehow the chief had been keeping tabs on him on his whereabouts. When he received a call from the Eleanor Carr telling Nathan that the chief was on his deathbed, Nathan knew the time to return home was inevitable.

His dad chief Garland Wuornos was dying, he never thought that death would become the chief. Nathan always thought the man was impervious to anything. He was like a mountain only shifting in time, growing older and wiser, but staying young within.

When Eleanor Carr told Nathan that he was turning to stone and that he possibly had anything from two days to a week, Nathan broke. He and chief weren't going to get award for father and son, but Nathan respected the man. He never thought that his dad was troubled and the news shocked Nathan. It seems like the chief was holding the town together and he finally cracked literally. The town was falling apart and the chief had insisted, well demanded that Nathan returned to Haven.

When Nathan told the chief that he was leaving, the chief did not say anything, he just said I hope you find what you looking for out there son. The chief never used the word often. He only remember a few times that the chief called him son when his mother died and when Duke had beaten his trouble into existence.

Nathan was Alaska and he had to drop everything.

Nathan pulled into the familiar house that he grew up in. He'd hoped that no one was here. Vince, Dave, Eleanor and a young blond woman were sitting on the porch.

"Nathan," came Eleanor as he climbed up the stairs and she pulled him into an embrace. I'm so glad you're back. I think the chief has been holding on just to see you. Vince and Dave also hugged him and said they were as delighted to have him home also. Nathan did not say anything, but nodded. The young woman only nodded in his direction and then put her head down. Nathan was sure she was not from around here, maybe she was related to Vince and Dave or perhaps Eleanor.

After everyone said their hellos Nathan went into the house and found the chief bedroom. Nathan saw the man he once feared and look up to lying still on his bed and Nathan trembled.

"Son, you here" his voice was strained and cracked. I'm so glad that you're here. I don't know how much time I have Nathan, there is so much words left unsaid and so much I haven't told you."

"Chief... Dad, you don't have to and Nathan held the older man hand. It was cold, no life.

"I do Nathan, I've been trying to hold this town together and I can't anymore. You left Nathan and I crumbled, but now you're back and you have to help her, she very important the town. Keep her safe. I love you son."

"Whom are you talking about dad?" he spluttered her his words. He was crying, but it more looked like dust falling from where tears ought to be.

"The chief son." He was taking like a deranged man.

"I don't understand, you are the chief dad," Nathan protested.

"Nathan, you're so stubborn, just promise you will take care of her."

"I promise dad," he said silently as the chief body fell part into a thousand pieces.

"Eleanor, Dave Vince the chief, he's..."

Everything seemed like a blur. Eleanor and the Teague brother were rushing past him. Nathan wanted to get away. The chief was gone, the chief was troubled and he'd just make an empty promise to his father.

Nathan did not realize that woman from earlier was looking at him as he climbed on his bike and rode out of the driveway.

With no body to present for a funeral, a memorial service was going to be at The Grey Gull on Friday. The chief including the Teague's and Eleanor had already came up with a convincing story about the chief death. The following day after his death, the Haven Herald put out a special issue in memory of Garland Wuornos. He was lost at sea doing something he'd love. The special piece in the paper was beautifully written.

There was also a new chief, who Nathan had not met. The Wuornos family has always held chief position at the Haven Police department. His dad, great grandfather and many more have always kept law in Haven.

It had been a week already and Nathan felt like he'd overstayed his welcome in Haven. He grew up here, but felt the place no longer held the home is where the heart is feeling. There was no real reason to remain to Haven. Everything he knew and love was no longer.

He pulled his bike into the parking lot of the Haven Police Department. Eleanor insisted that he stop by and pick up his dad's stuff and say hello to people who worked along side the chief. The town needed a familiar face around and although Nathan was not around for all these years seeing him would put some hope back in the place. Those were Eleanor's words.

The inside of the building had not changed at all, except for some new staff members. Everything looked and smelled familiar. Stan and everyone at the station said hello and expressed his condolences. Nathan told them thank you. Everyone was genuine and commented that they were happy he was back. Nathan did not confirm with anyone that he was not here to stay. He was planning to be in and out of Haven.

Nathan finally reached the chief old office, but there was someone sitting in there. It was the woman he saw at his dad place. She motioned for him to come inside.

"I was wondering when you going to come by and say hello" she said. She was beautiful. He did not get a closer look when he first saw, but now looking at her he was speechless. Her yes we're blue, and her skin pearl like. He instantly wanted to touch her. He has a sense that he met her before. He tried to remember why he was here and had to banish any further thoughts about the mysterious woman sitting in the chief chair.

"I'm Audrey Parker, the new chief." She put her hand out for him to shake.

"You're the new chief." He choked on the words.

"Are you going to let me hanging?" she was insulted.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Never mind. You're here to collect Garland belongings. I've put them in a couple of boxes."

"Yes, thank you. I'm sorry about my comment. It's nice to meet Ms Parker. I'm a Nathan. Nathan Wuornos."

"I've gathered that much. I saw you when you came the chief house. Not much of a talker."

"I'm really sorry again. It's just that the Wuornos family has always held office at the Haven Police and I don't know you."

**Thank you for reading. I had this piece written for a couple of weeks now. Hope you enjoyed reading. For part 2 of this story I'm going to write about the memorial service at the Grey Gull. Nathan will into Duke. Nathan will have a decision to make to stay in Haven or go.**


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